That's the way, pretty girl
by GenuineSurprise
Summary: A songfic to "Pretty Girl" By Sugarcult, focuses on Dan and Karen's relationship, review please


Disclaimer: In no way whatsoever do I own One Tree Hill, but I would give anything for James Lafferty! Anyways, yeah, the only thing I own are my teddy bears!

Author's note: I have no idea how this came to me at all. I think it was just listening to this song and realizing how true it is that motivated me to write this! Enjoy!

They were the perfect couple, at Tree Hill High; they reigned as king and queen. She was the beautiful but yet friendly Cheer captain, while he was the star of the school. Their main pride and delight, ruling the basketball court with an easy jump shot, the popular Dan Scott. The man that could make the thousands of school girls giggle with just a simple greeting, but yet remained faithful to his joy, Karen Roe. Therefore, when she became pregnant at the age of eighteen, it came as no surprise to the students at Tree Hill High, who predicted that they were both going to end up "happily ever after". But then again, the day she found out she was pregnant, was yet the same day she first saw a group of ravens flocking in the sky for the first time…

**Pretty girl is suffering, while he confesses everything  
Pretty soon she'll figure out what his intentions were about**

"You're pregnant?" This was the sharp reply that made Karen frown at her 'perfect' boyfriend. "Yes. I'm pregnant? Must I repeat that?" She replied just as sharply. "God," He ran a hand through his hair, "Unbelievable, we were so careful! How could you let this have happened?"

"Me?" She shrieked, standing up with lightening speed, "It's your child, why don't you explain to me how you managed to get me pregnant?"

"Ok, Karen, calm down, we can get through this together," With a shaking hand, he lit up a cigarette. She impatiently snatched that away from him, "Give me that, Danny, you know how bad cigarettes are for a baby." "Why would you care? It's not like we're keeping it or anything?" He casually replied before lighting up another one with ease.

Her eyes became twice their natural size, "What do you mean we're not keeping it, Dan? Of course we are, it's our child, and I refuse to kill something innocent for a mistake that its parents made!" "Damn, do you realize that this mistake might cost me my basketball career? Do you understand that at all? This is all the work that my father put into this, everything that I've worked on since I was only nine years old? I refuse to disappoint him or terminate my dreams by this…this…kid that probably isn't even mine."

"How dare you?" She hissed, kicking at a package on the floor with vengeance. "Keep you stupid dream, you'll never see me again!" Without another word she left him sitting on the couch, with his hands over his face.

**That's what you get for falling again  
you can never get them out of your head**

Her pillow is now wet with her tears, she doesn't bother to wipe them away. Turning slowly, she came face to face with her stuffed animals. Slowly, she picked one up and turned it over. On the tag it read, "To Karen, my one true love, from Dan." Screw him, she thought murderously, and then violently threw the animal across the room. It knocked down a picture of her at the age of three; she froze, hearing the loud CRASH, which was followed by her mother rushing into the room.

"Is something wrong, darling?" Sarah Roe asked her only daughter, she was greeted with a teenager with tears spewing down her cheeks; she stretched out her arms, welcoming her mother into the darkest part of her life.**  
**  
**It's the way  
that he makes you feel**

Flashback

"It's all right, Mom, I'll be fine." 14 year old Karen Roe assured her mom, before impatiently sprinting from her family Volvo. "Bye honey!" Her mother called from the car, there was no reply from this colt like girl.

Karen stared at the doors of Tree Hill High with a feeling of happiness, she had been waiting for this moment forever, quickly, and she found her homeroom before grabbing a seat with her best friend, Cynthia. As the two girls started jabbering eagerly about the cute boys they had seen, a hand touched Karen's shoulder. She turned around and immediately felt faint.

"Is there anyone sitting here?" He asked, point to the seat next to her. She blinked, he was the best looking fourteen years old that she had ever seen. Compared to her skinny legs and braces, he looked like a professional model. "Um, no," She was able to mutter, before feeling poked by Cynthia, who glared at her, "That's my seat!" Karen swallowed before asking, "Please, sit on the other side?" Cynthia rolled her eyes before following her friend's wishes.

"So, what's your name?" She asked this boy. He smirked at her, "Dan."

**  
It's the way  
that he kisses you**

Flashback

"You suck, Karen!" Came the shouts from the Gym, tears came to Karen's eyes as she stared down at her feet. "Fuck you little girl. If you can't make this next shot, don't even think about living until lunch!" The threats flooded in from all sides of the gym. They passed her the ball menacingly; she steeled herself and aimed for the basket. It soared into the air and landed a few inches shy of the basket.

"That's it!" Tonya Harding shouted, coming over to Karen angrily, as if appearing ready to hit her. Karen cowered from this girl that was more then a head taller then herself. Tonya raised on fist, Karen closed her eyes, expecting a sharp blow, but found Tonya's shout of pain. She scrunched open one eye to find Dan holding Tonya back from hurting her.

"What's wrong with you?" Tonya shouted at Dan, who glared at her before releasing her. Tonya waited after Dan was out of earshot before whispering, "You just wait." Karen turned on her heels and ran as fast as she could from the gym. She sat with her back to the gym wall. Tears dripping from her eyes.

**  
It's the way  
that he makes you fall in love**

Flashback

"Are you ok?" Someone put his arm around her shoulder. She stared up into the face of her rescuer. She nods, "I'm fine," she manages to whisper before allowing him to stroke her hair.

"You're beautiful, you know that don't you?" He whispers into her ear. She shakes her head, looking at him surprised.

"I've wanted to talk to you forever." He whispered again, "But I can never find the courage." She blinked, and then as if filled with a sudden impulse, dove into his embrace. He looked surprised for a moment before kissing her gently on the lips. She shivered, but realized that she was falling in love with him.

End Flashback  
**  
she's beautiful as usual with bruises on her ego and  
her killer instinct tells her to beware of evil men**

A pain ripped through her body. She screamed but could find no comfort, blindly; she reaches for Keith's hand. "You're doing just fine, Ms. Roe." The nurse assures her. "The baby would almost be here."

"Dan…" She pants, "Where's Dan?" Keith looked slightly hurt by her words but responded smoothly, "He's not here yet Karen, but I'm sure he would come soon, just relax, Karen!"

She screams again, the doctor looks at her excitedly, "The head is crowning, I can see it! Give me one big push, Karen, and it will all be over!" Karen scrunched up her face and pushed as hard as she could. Slowly, the sounds of a baby's cry filled up the delivering room.

"You did it, baby." Keith whispered in her ear, a smile spread over Karen's face as she took in her new son for the first time. "Welcome to the world, little Lucas." She cooed at him. Soon, the doctor took Lucas away to clean, but Karen stayed behind to wait for Dan…he never came.

**  
And that's what you get for falling again  
you can never get them out of your head**

It had been a lifetime since Dan said those coveted words to her, but yet, nearly every day, Karen still thinks about him. Sometimes, the old memories are brought back to her again and she remembers how happy she was. Dan loved her at some point, she does not doubt it. What she cannot figure out is how he could easily abort a love so strong that easily.

Tears come to her sometimes when she remembers her first kiss, her first date, and her first love. But then the memory of his abandonment stings her just as sharply, and she realizes how much better she was off without him. Sometimes she is mad at herself for falling in love so easily, for giving herself away so fast, for believing in him so quickly.

She could have had anything she wanted in life, yet she decided to have a romance with Dan Scott that changed everything. She wonders about the foolishness involved in making this decision sometimes, but yet, she knows one thing: she never regretted it for a moment.

Author's Note: Reviews are much appreciated!


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